Forgotten Love
by AshZaku
Summary: One year after the Black Rebellion, the demon Lelouch was released again, to seek vengeance upon Britannia. But what of the woman he loved, whose memories were erased? What would he do to get her back, to return the woman who captured his heart? R
1. Love Remembered

A/N Spoilers for R2, early episodes. _Thoughts are in italics._ First fic in this fandom, finally decided on what to write first.

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own it.......yet.

**Forgotten Love – Code Geass Fanfiction by Ashbender**

As he sat on the train, making its way through the settlement, he tried to block out the sound of the television screens, his own voice pouring out through the speakers.

"People of Japan, I have returned!"

As he mulled over his thoughts, his next move already planned out, his mind began to truly comprehend the magnitude of what had occurred, of what had happened to him.

_A year...lost. My friends, the Black Knights.....Nunally._

He turned to the screen, the other passengers unilaterally watching with their mouths agape as Zero continued on. He let out a soft chuckle as he watched C.C, disguised as him, moving her arms about wildly as the speech continued.

_I'll need to speak to C.C later, I think she's overdoing it a bit. Or do I always look like that?_

Deciding it could wait until later, his mind went back to its former train of thought.As he did, an image floated to the surface, a girl with long blonde hair. His eyes widened, a disturbing thought accompanying the image.

_Wait, if her memories were altered, if she no longer knows, then....No!_

He grit his teeth, anger flashing into his eyes as his hands clenched into fists, nearly shaking in rage as he recognized the full repercussions of his friends' altered memories

_She no longer remembers, the years we spent as friends, the time we spent together, our feelings for each other......._

He slammed his fist into the side of the train, immediately regretting it as pain shot up his arm, eliciting a shout from him. "Dammit!"

His outburst drew the attention of several other passengers, looking at him with concern, muttering quietly. "What's up with him?" "He probably lost someone in the Black Rebellion, stop staring." "Zero is a bastard, I hope he realizes how many lives he's destroyed." He looked up, meeting their looks of concern and sympathy with a calm smile that didn't reach his eyes, glossed as they were with sadness.

"Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine, really."

Satisfied, the other passengers swiftly returned his smile, turning back to the television, gasping as Zero declared the death of Viceroy Kalares, Lelouch more focused on collecting his things as he train slowed to a stop, and began making his way to the exit, looking out the window to see Ashford Academy right across the street.

_And so, for now I return to my gilded cage, my prison of lies and false memories, to friends who don't remember, to her...._ He clenched his fists again, almost shaking in rage at the thought of having lost her, almost letting his tears flow as he stepped off the train.

"This room shall be the first dominion of the USJ! Religion, ideology, race, these things will not matter! Being a citizen will have just one requirement: to carry out justice!"

_To carry out justice...too true. _His eyes snapped forward. _I will carry out justice against those that have destroyed my sanctuary, who have violated my one haven of serenity and peace. Those who have taken my love from me. _Her image again flashed into his mind:

_Her mouth curled upward into a charming smile as he looked up into her face, arms wrapped around her waist, her eyes smoldering with passion and desire as she leaned down, about to kiss him. _

He walked through the gate, looking upward to the clock as he began to dial his phone, heading for the gym, for Villetta, the Brittanian agent disguised as a teacher.

_I'll need her to see that I am here, in order to prevent any suspicion from Rolo._

"Lelouch!"

Halting his fingers just before he sent the call, he turned at the sound of the voice, **her** voice, coming from a nearby window. Containing himself, he turned around, flashing a smile up at her.

"Oh, hey Prez! What's up?"

"Where have you been? Did you hear what just happened? Zero's back!"

He looked at her intently, the look of concern on her face, concern for **him**, almost making him lose his falsely calm demeanor.

"Yeah, but I have a more pressing matter to attend to right now, Ms. Villetta is going to kill me if I don't make up my PE class."

Noticing he was dressed in his gym outfit, Her look of concern changed to one of mock worry. "Oh, well then you better hurry, I saw her sharpening her battle-axe after you ran off, so just be careful, okay?"

He chuckled. "Okay Prez, I'll be sure to be careful." He turned back and started to run, calling over his shoulder. "See ya at the meeting later!"

Smiling, Milly ducked back inside, Lelouch letting out a sigh as he slowed to a walk, already tired from that slight amount of exertion, now allowing the tears that had been held in check to flow a little, pressing the send button on his phone and holding it to his ear, hearing it ring on the other end.

_Milly....I swear that I will make him pay for what he did to you._ He lifted his head, wiping his face with his hand as he walked through the doorway to the gym. _I swear, upon the memory of my mother, I will restore your memories, and we will be together again. _

He heard the phone connect, quickly putting on an air of false concern. "Rolo?"

End Chapter 1

A/N: So, what did you think? Please review!


	2. Where Love Begins

A/N: Hey all, thanks so much for the reads on the last chapter! Was surprised to see 150 visitors in about 12 hours. Remember, reviews only help make the story better, so leave one!

I figured that some background might be necessary, so this chapter is predominantly flashbacks(Now With Much-needed Page Breaks).

Disclaimer: I heroically burst into the design studio and demanded to see the creator of Code Geass. Upon meeting them, I discovered that it wasn't me.

**Forgotten Love – Code Geass Fanfiction by Ashbender**

Chapter 2: Where Love Begins

"Big Brother, where are we going?"

Lelouch, still tired and disheveled after the long car ride, turned his head to the young girl he was carrying on his back. "Don't worry, Nunally, we're going somewhere where we'll be safe."

_At least, I hope so._ Lelouch thought, turning his head back to the path in front of him, following the strange woman who had drove them here. _She said she works for the Ashfords, and they were Mother's friends, so we should be okay. Not like we have much of a choice besides trusting her._

They were walking down a long stone path, passing through a metal archway into the gardens surrounding the Ashford estate. Looking up, the house boasted massive spires and ornate windows, its sheer size dominating the nearby landscape of rural Japan.

_No,_ Lelouch thought, _it's Area 11 now_.

The path itself was surrounded by lavish gardens, boasting a wide variety of both native and mainland Brittannian flowers, the multitude of colors punctured sporadically by the stone gray of various fountains and statues. Looking to his left, Lelouch saw a statue of a kneeling Ganymede Knightmare, its arms stretched backwards, holding the world across its back; a robotic Atlas.

After several minutes of similar statuary, including fountains boasting the heraldic lion and serpent of the Brittannian Imperial Family, the woman and siblings reached the massive oaken doors of the house. The woman grabbed the door knocker and banged on the door several times. Several seconds later, a kind looking old man appeared, opening the door and taking stock of the scruffy looking boy, eyes quickly wandering to the cute, blind girl resting on his back. He then spoke in a calm, quiet voice:

"Ah, you must be Lelouch, come in. I hope your journey here was pleasant?"

Looking at the old man in confusion, Lelouch cautiously crossed the threshold with the woman and Nunally, entering into the main hall of the house.

The old man, confident that the boy was unhurt, although a little confused, then turned his head to address the woman. "Thank you for your assistance, Sayoko. Now, would you be so kind as to make sure their apartments in the west wing are prepared for them?"

Sayoko bowed her head, turning to quickly head up the stairs and turn left, heading up another flight and out of view.

Satisfied, the man turned his attention back to the boy. "Well then , you and your sister must be hungry. Follow me, we have breakfast prepared for you." The man turned and began to head off.

But Lelouch was done following directions. "Wait! Just who are you, anyway? And why did you bother to send someone after us? How do you know who we are?"

Nunally gasped. "Lelouch! You shouldn't be so rude!"

The man stopped and turned, looking at Lelouch calmly. A hint of amusement crossed his face. "No, it's quite alright Nunally, I'm surprised he waited this long to ask. Lelouch, my dear boy, my name Ruben K. Ashford, head of the Ashford Foundation. Last I saw you though, you were little more than five years old, and your mother alive and well. As to why you are here..." His eyes turned to Nunally, seeing the obvious signs of hunger on her face. "How about we discuss this over breakfast? Both of you look quite the worse for wear." He then turned and continued off through the doorway, obviously headed to the dining room.

Lelouch blinked for a moment, then turned to his sister. "What do you think Nunally? Should we trust him?"

Nunally's stomach growled, causing her to blush. "He seems nice, and I _am_ hungry Lelouch. If we don't trust him, where else can we go?"

"Good point," Lelouch replied, carrying her through the doorway, following quickly behind Ruben.

The room they found themselves in was breathtaking, both in size and magnificence. The walls were a warm burgundy; lamps set into the wall every 8 feet or so radiating a warm, yellow glow. Looking up, three chandeliers hung from the ceiling; two smaller ornate metal rings flanking a proper glass chandelier hanging down from the center of the room. All of this was centered around a long, red mahogany table, which appeared capable of sitting dozens, if not hundreds, of people. However, there were only 5 chairs at the table, all clustered at one end.

Ruben, upon entering the room, turned to the right and walked toward the end where the chairs were positioned, turning to be sure the boy was following. When they reached the end, he casually pulled out the closest chair, turning to them with a smile.

"Come, set Nunally down, you must be tired after carrying her for so long."

Lelouch, his arms having almost gone numb by this point, complied. He set her down carefully, making sure she would not fall out of the chair by accident, and pushed her chair in so she could better reach the table.

"Is that alright, Nunally?"

"Yes, thank you, Big brother."

Having thus confirmed his sister's comfort, Lelouch then took the seat next to her, Ruben having taken the seat at the end of the table, to Lelouch's right. Upon Ruben taking notice of this, he lifted a small bell in his right hand and rang it. At the sound of the bell, servants with trays laden with food entered the hall, where they lined up and placed the trays carefully in front of the siblings and older man. Having seen to their task, they then departed through the door on the other side of the hall.

Lelouch, slightly startled by the spectacle, took a moment to register the food in front of him: trays of freshly cut fruit, scrambled eggs, and many other wondrous foods. He began to drool, despite himself.

"Go ahead, eat." Ruben encouraged him. "You must be starving."

Lelouch leaned over, loading a plate with fruit and some pancakes. He smeared the pancakes with butter and syrup, then carefully cut off a piece and offered it to his sister, holding it in front of her mouth.

"Here Nunally, try some. It looks delicious."

Nunally, catching a whiff of the wonderful food, quickly leaned her head and removed the morsel from Lelouch's fork. She took a moment to chew, and then swallowed, a smile showing itself on her face.

"Mmmm, that's wonderful! Can I have some more?"

"Of course." Lelouch responded cutting her another piece.

They repeated this process for awhile, until the stack of pancakes and fruit was completely gone and Nunally claimed she was full. Only then did Lelouch refill the plate and begin to eat. Ruben, nibbling at a plate of eggs, noted this and decided to remember it for when they talked later.

Once Lelouch was finished, he sat back in his chair and closed his eyes. His arms held his stomach, full for the first time in what felt like months. Ruben felt there was no need to wait.

"Are you both finished?" he asked softly.

"Yes, thank you very much." Lelouch responded, his eyes snapping open as he did.

"Well then, lets remove these then." Ruben replied, ringing the bell again. In response, the servants reappeared, clearing the table and departing just as hastily. When Ruben saw that they were gone, he turned back to the two of them.

"Now that that's taken care of, let's get down to business." With that, Ruben pulled out a file from under his chair. Flipping it open and sifting through the papers, he continued "This is an official Britannian military report. It contains all the major details regarding the invasion and occupation of Area 11. Luckily, I still have enough pull in the right circles to procure such sensitive information." He found the document he was after, pulling it out, eyes quickly scanning it, and handing it to Lelouch.

"Of particular note is this report. It was sent several days ago by a Capt. Jeremiah Gottwald, who was sent with a platoon of infantry and several Glasgow Knightmare Frames to the Kururugi Shrine, with specific orders so secure it and recover one Prince Lelouch vi Britannia and his sister, Princess Nunally vi Britannia. Obviously, he could not find you, and the military still has you both listed as 'missing, presumed dead'."

Realizing what he was driving at Lelouch glared at him. "So, is that why you brought us here? To turn us in to the military? To send us back home?"

Startled by the intensity of the glare, Ruben averted his eyes. "The thought had crossed my mind, yes. By all rights, as a loyal citizen of the Empire, it's what would be expected of me in this sort of situation. In fact, doing so might win me a noble title, something my family could sorely use now.

"However," Ruben continued, turning his head back to look at them both noting Lelouch's glare becoming more intense. "I knew your mother very well." His eyes glossed over, his expression softening. "She was a sweet, kind, beautiful young woman; not to mention an exceptional pilot. Had it not been for her support and skills, it's doubtful the Ashford Foundation have been able to rise as far as it did.

"I'm also **very** aware of the mysterious circumstances regarding her death, especially surrounding the identities of the killers. As that is the case, I highly doubt Marianne would appreciate me sending her children back to the viper's nest we Britannians affectionately refer to as the Imperial Court.

"Therefore, the decision, ultimately, rests with you two." Ruben turned, locking his eyes with Lelouch's. "Do **you** want to go back?"

Lelouch's gaze turned at once from angry to astounded. "What? Of course we don't want to go back! If we do, we'll just be used again, like we were after Mother died!"

Ruben looked at the young boy and nodded his head. "Very well then. From this point on, for as long as you two desire, you will be my personal guests here, at the Ashford Estate. You will be free to come and go as you'd like, and you may decide to leave at any time." Then Ruben turned his head. To the closed door at his left "Camilla, would you please come out now? You know you don't have to listen at the door."

Startled, Lelouch turned around as he heard the door open. As it opened, he watched a young girl walk out, her gaze pointed towards the floor. She was maybe a little older than he was, with long blonde hair reaching down to the middle of her back. She was still dressed in a set of pink pajamas despite the fact that it was almost noon.

"Sorry, Grandfather, I was just curious..."

_Grandfather?_ Lelouch thought, gaze shifting between the young girl and Ruben.

"It's alright Camilla, just please, if you're going to snoop, be more careful in the future." Ruben responded with a chuckle. "Now then, introduce yourself to our guests."

The girl looked up at him and his sister, a smile suddenly appearing on her face. "Hi! I'm Camilla Ashford, and who are you?"

Lelouch, stunned by the girl's complete turnaround in demeanor, took a minute to respond. "Uh, hi. I'm Lelouch, and this is my sister Nunally."

Nunally then turned in her chair as best as she could, and waved towards her. "Hello," she said softly.

Ruben continued, seeing that the introductions had been completed. "Camilla, these two will be staying with us for awhile, and so I would like for you to help them up to their rooms in the West Wing." He turned to Lelouch. "You two can rest there, I will have fresh clothes sent up for you, and I hope to see you at dinner this evening."

Camilla quickly bowed her head. "Yes Grandfather." she turned back to Lelouch. "You and your sister just follow me, okay?"

Lelouch, having gotten over his initial shock, stood up. "Okay, just hang on a moment." He walked over to Nunally's chair, taking her hands and wrapping them around his shoulders, turning around and grabbing her legs, lifting her up. "Let's go."

Nodding, Camilla turned around, leading the siblings back out to the main hall and up the stairs, the same way they saw Sayoko depart earlier. After several more flights of stairs, the girl looked back, waiting for Lelouch to catch up.

Upon arriving at the fourth floor landing, Lelouch was practically gasping for air. "Can we...take... a break?" he panted, squatting to softly set Nunally, now asleep, on the carpeted floor near the wall."

Camilla, having sat down opposite Nunally, was surprised at how exhausted he was. She couldn't help but giggle. "Wow, you're not very strong, are you?" His glare just causing her to laugh harder, her gaze settled on the young girl sitting delicately against the wall. Seeing her frailty, she stopped laughing, eyes taking on a softer appearance. "So, she can't walk?"

"Yes," Lelouch responded, turning to watch her as well. "She can't see either; she was shot in the legs the night my mother was killed. The shock of watching her die caused her to go blind."

She gasped. "Then the two of you really **are** Empress Marianne's children, aren't you? Lelouch and Nunally vi Britannia?"

Lelouch nodded, "Yes, we are."

Camilla, regaining herself, then stood up. "Well then, Your Majesty, we had better get you to your room then!" she began walking down the hall, not waiting for them.

"Hey, wait!" Lelouch called, slipping Nunally back onto his back and running after her. The noise caused her to turn, smiling as she stopped for him to catch up. Stopping, Lelouch turned to her, looking her in the eyes. "My name is Lelouch, not Your Majesty." he said, anger obvious in his voice. "I hate Britannia, and everything it's Emperor stand for. It turns my stomach that that man is my father."

Camilla, taken aback by this sudden rage, slowly nodded and kept walking, beckoning Lelouch to follow.

When they reached their chambers, she opened the door, directing Lelouch to the bedroom and heading over to the bed, Lelouch setting his sister down and covering her with the blankets.

"Well, you two will probably want to talk a little bit. I'll see you at dinner, okay?"

Lelouch turned to her, bowing. "Thank you very much, Lady Camilla Ashford. I would be honored to accept your invitation to dinner."

Giggling, she softly pat him on the head, speaking in a casual tone. "Call me Milly, everyone else does. Except Grandfather and Grandma, of course, but that's because they're old I guess."

Lelouch, straightening up, smiled. "Okay. Thank you, Milly."

Milly leaned forward, kissing him softly on the cheek before turning and walking out. "Bye!" she said, closing the door.

Lelouch, a slight blush creeping on his cheeks, then turned to Nunally, tucking her in and kissing her on the forehead.

"You like her, don't you brother?"

Lelouch, startled, jumped back. "Nunally! I thought you were asleep!"

"I was, but I woke up while you were talking just now. I'm right, aren't I?"

Lelouch, his cheeks becoming redder by the second, ignored her question and quickly walked to the door, turning out the light "Go to sleep Nunally."

* * *

"Lelouch! Wake up!" Milly screamed, hitting him with a rolled up stack of papers. "Come on, we need to get this work done!"

Lelouch, his eyes fluttering open, turned his gaze to Milly's face, twisted into a mock-serious expression, and smiled. "Oh, sorry Madam President, must have dozed off."

Nodding, Milly leaned over, their noses practically touching. "Mmhmm, did you have a good dream?"

Leaning back a bit, startled by her closeness, he responded. "Yes, actually; I did."

"Glad to hear it." she said as she stood back up, arms folding under her breasts. "Now, let's get that work done, okay Lulu?"

"Sure." He replied, eyes moving back down to the papers he had been working on while Milly shifted her attention to directing Rivalz and teasing Shirley. Then he whispered, soft enough that she wouldn't hear "Yes, a very good dream."

* * *

_Hmm, everything seems normal,_ Lelouch thought, sifting through the computerized photo album, alone in the now empty council room. _Of course, there's no evidence of Nunally's existence, and the other council members all had their memories erased accordingly. But other than that, Nina's obvious absence, and the anomaly that is my "brother", I don't see anything out of the ordinary; at least, nothing I need to concern myself with._

As he continued to move through the album, the photo from Halloween caught his eye. It featured Milly, in her witch costume, leaning against Lelouch, replete his Mystery Man-style cloak and top hat, looking up into his eyes, as if almost about to kiss him. Rivalz, being fairly jealous of the attention Lelouch was getting from their President, had been about to hit him across the head with a broom, as the picture revealed; However, Lelouch's eyes were drawn to himself and Milly, the image pulling upon his heartstrings.

_It's just Milly being herself: teasing and flirtatious. It's not like she knew about the two of you._ Lelouch told himself, trying to stop the aching in his heart and sadness creeping into his eyes.

_And yet, so much of our relationship was traded in little moments like this. In the flirting, the teasing and the innuendo we heaped on each other during meetings and school events. We kept our real feelings secret; it wouldn't have been viewed as proper by her family for me to take advantage of their hospitality by taking their daughter from them, even though they viewed her as little more than a way for them to regain what nobility they lost with my mother's death._ He felt his hands ball into fists at that thought. He then tried to relax, conjuring up the memories of the past, before the birth of Zero and the curse of Geass. He settled on the memory of one fateful day, almost 4 years ago: a day which marked the start of the change in their relationship from that of two friends, to that of lovers.

* * *

Hearing the incessant knocking at the door, Lelouch quickly got up from his seat at the end of the table, heading to the door. "Alright, calm down, I'm coming." he called out, reaching it.

Upon opening it, he saw Milly, her head down, eyes red, tears streaming down her face, forming damp patches around the the collar of her school uniform. A look of concern flashed to his eyes. "Milly, what's wrong?"

"Hi Lelouch," Milly sobbed, barely able to speak. "May I come in?"

"O-of course!" Lelouch said, quickly stepping back from the door and ushering her in. The building he was currently residing in was an attachment of the Student Council building of Ashford Academy, where he and Nunally had moved, at Ruben Ashford's insistence a little more than a year ago. Lelouch, now 15, had agreed to the accommodations, seeing that it was important for Nunally, as well as himself, to at least be around other people their own age. Up until the completion of the school, they and Milly had been schooled at the Ashford Estate, under several tutors with wide varieties of knowledge.

"Please, come sit down." He walked her to the dining room and pulled out a chair for her, occupying the chair next to hers. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Milly, appearing not to have heard him, simply sat there, continuing to cry as she moved her hands up to cover her face. Lelouch, growing more concerned by the moment, began to examine her clothes, making sure that she hadn't been attacked or robbed: a very serious possibility even in the settlement. Seeing that her clothes didn't appear to be torn and she had no injuries, Lelouch's concern subsided a little. _At least she isn't hurt_.

Slowly getting up, he quickly went to the kitchen. He filled a kettle with water and placed it on the stove. _Maybe some tea will help calm her down_ he thought, returning to find that Milly had relaxed considerably, now sitting easily, head still tilted down as she stared at her hands in her lap.

Now even more confused, Lelouch sat down again, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Milly, what's the matter? Please, tell me."

Milly turned to him. She looked at him for a moment, then started to rise. "No, I'll just go," she whispered, clearly still upset. "I'm sorry for bothering you –"

Lelouch rose, blocking her path. "No, Milly." Bringing his hands up to her shoulders, he kept her still, looking into her eyes. "Come on, you can talk to me. I'm worried about you; please tell me whats wrong."

Milly, seeing the determined concern in his eyes, bowed her head. "Thank you," she murmured, taking her seat again.

Lelouch felt like a broken record at this point, but he needed an answer. "Okay, what's wrong Milly?"

Milly, bringing her hands up to wipe her face, turned her gaze to Lelouch, eyes soft with calm sadness. "It's Grandmother. She...she passed away last night."

Lelouch, just looked at Milly, eyes widening as his jaw slackened, his mind was barely able to process what he just heard. _Suzanna... s dead?_

Suzanna Ashford had been almost as much of a grandmother to Lelouch as she had been to Milly. Neither she nor Lelouch could stand her parents due to their stuffy attitudes and desire to marry off their daughter as a means to regain the noble fruits of nobility of which they had had no more than the merest taste before it was snatched away. Even that small taste was enough to make them cease viewing their daughter as she was: A young, pretty, intelligent woman. They preferred to see her as a piece of meat: leverage to gain even the smallest bite of what, with only a simple taste passing their lips, they had become addicted to.

Her father Richard, who would organize meeting after meeting with potential suitors starting when she was little more than 13 – always chastised Milly for her attitude, saying that she had a duty to do her part and restore honor to the Ashford name, even if it meant sacrificing her freedom. Her mother Esmeralda was little better, deciding to focus her attention on criticizing every single quirk of Milly's nature: her posture, her sitting, her meal etiquette, and her interests, just to name a few. And it was just that: criticism, day in and day out; never did a word of praise escape her lips.

Lelouch had other reasons to dislike them. For a time, after the younger Ashfords had learned of Lelouch's identity. They had also considered returning him to the emperor on their own, or attempting to cultivate in him an attraction for their daughter: that they might use her as an incentive to reveal his survival to the Empire. It hadn't worked: Lelouch was far from interested in girls at that age and hadn't thought of Milly as anything more than a surrogate older sister.

However, if her parents were overbearing and self-interested, her grandparents were just the opposite. Ruben, in response to his son's actions, would dismiss many of the would-be suitors out of hand, finding reasons such as their arrogance, wealth(or lack thereof), and political status at court to justify his decision. In actuality though, he did it for Milly's sake. He cared deeply for her and, in his age, saw no reason to sacrifice her for something so empty as a noble title when he had seen firsthand the atrocities Britannia's noblemen inflicted on each other. Her grandmother, Suzanna, would oppose Esmeralda in a similar fashion, arguing that Milly deserved a chance to be a girl before she was forced to become a woman. It had certainly made Milly's life more bearable, as well as Lelouch's own.

For her to be gone, it must be horrible for Milly. _What do I say?_ he thought, still staring at her.

"I know it's nothing like your mother's death Lelouch, but I thought that maybe, since you've lost someone close to you, and know what it feels like, that maybe you could help me...?" she said, tears beginning to run once again down her face.

He felt her body stiffen as his arms encircled her, then it slowly relaxed, her body collapsing under her sorrow and into his embrace. The action felt unusual to Lelouch, he had never been used to showing physical intimacy for anyone but Nunally, but he couldn't think of anything else to do. "It's okay Milly." he murmured softly, sliding closer on his chair to better hug her. "Your grandmother lived a long, happy life, and I don't think she would want you to be sad. She would probably want you to remember her happily."

"I know that," Milly sobbed, turning and resting her head on Lelouch's shoulder, feeling the shoulder grow damp as she continued. "It's just that, I don't know what to do now. I loved her so much, and she's done so much for me; it doesn't seem like anyone else in my family cares."

"Have you talked to your grandfather?" Lelouch asked, confusion apparent in his tone. Reuben had cared deeply for his wife; it was surprising to hear that her death hadn't affected him.

"No, I haven't," Milly continued, her voice becoming a bit more steady. "I tried to, but he's locked himself in his study and his secretary said that he left instructions not to be disturbed. I think he's taking it really hard; he hasn't been home in a couple of weeks because of business here in the settlement."

"Alright then. I think you should go to his study and talk to him. Bang on the door, shout at him, be obnoxious. The best thing for either of you right now is to be together. Family is important; it's how Nunally and I got through afterwards." Hearing the tea kettle scream, Lelouch got up and went to the kitchen, taking some tea bags out of the cupboard and placing them in a pair of mugs. He filled them up with water from the kettle and placed them carefully on a tray before carrying them out to the other room. He set it on the table, offering a mug to Milly.

"Thanks," she murmured, accepting it gratefully. She took a small sip and set the mug down.

At this point, Lelouch heard the door to their apartment open. "Lelouch! Sayoko and I are home!" he heard from the hall.

He called in reply: "Hey Nunally, I'm in the dining room."

A few seconds later, Nunally arrived with Sayoko guiding her wheelchair. Sayoko, noticing Milly sitting at the table, looking depressed, turned to Lelouch and quirked and eyebrow. "Later" he mouthed to her, indicating that she should head into the kitchen and start dinner.

"Hi Lelouch, what's going on?" Nunally asked, tilting her head up towards his face.

"Milly is here right no Nunally, she's a little bit upset." Lelouch explained, leaning closer to speak in a softer voice. "Her grandmother died. You remember her?"

"Oh!" Nunally gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth. "Milly, I'm so sorry."

Milly, having dried her tears and relaxed by this point, simply glanced at her and smiled. "It's alright, Nunally. I just needed someone to talk to, so I could calm down a bit." Getting up, she walked over to her and knelt, hugging Nunally tightly. "Thank you very much."

Lelouch, upon Milly standing up again, turned to Nunally. "I'm going to see Milly out, so just stay here, okay?"

"Alright Lelouch. I hope you feel better Milly."

Lelouch, with Milly following close behind, headed down the stairs to the door of the Student Council Building. Lelouch turned to face her when they reached the foyer , a concerned look returning to his gaze when she walked up next to him. "Remember what I said, okay? You really should talk to your grandfather. And feel free to come by whenever, if you're feeling sad about your grandmother or if anything else is bothering you. If you need to talk, I'll be here to listen."

"Thanks Lelouch." Milly said calmly, walking forward and wrapping her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. "You really have always been there for me, haven't you Lulu?"

Despite hearing the nickname he despised so much, he decided to let it slide, more interested in the change in tone than anything else. "Yeah, I guess so." he responded, slowly returning her embrace. He was a little too embarrassed and confused to say anything else.

"I really do appreciate it," she continued, releasing her hold to look him in the eye, smiling. "You always seem to be looking out for me." She leaned over, kissing his cheek. "See you at lunch tomorrow?"

Lelouch, deep red color creeping into his cheeks by this point, merely responded: "Y-yeah, sure" as Milly walked out the door, turning to smile at him over her shoulder. Lelouch watched her leave until she turned the corner, then slowly closing the door.

* * *

_From that day onward, things were never the same for us,_ he recalled. He heard someone approaching behind him, the sound of his false brother's voice jarring him back to reality.

"Hey Lelouch, what's up? Looking through the old photo album?"


	3. As Love Confuses and Confounds

A/N: Hey All, I know it's been a long time but now that High School no longer owns my soul I can(hopefully) do some more work on this story. I can only hope that some of you out there will notice the alert in your file and read on! Your patience will be rewarded.

I mess around a bit with inner dialogue in this chapter, so italics that are in **bold** represent one mental voice while non-bold represents the other. Hopefully it won't be too confusing…

Disclaimer: Code Geass doesn't belong to me.

**Forgotten Love – A Code Geass Fanfiction by Ashzaku**

**Chapter 3 – As Love Confuses and Confounds**

The dance floor was alive with movement, the festival's events and excitement having died down with the setting sun, leaving the students and guests to gravitate towards the warm, soft light of the enclosure. As the couples twirled in a classic waltz, the simple and methodical tune wafted up, over the lamps and speakers and into the night sky. As it went, the sound passed the spot where Lelouch leaned out over the railing, taking in the scene. To him, the dancers appeared as twirling flower petals, the finely colored dresses of the ladies flowing smooth and free across the grass as men guided their graceful motion. He, however, had eyes for only one.

The Orange dress and long, full hair of Milly Ashford stood out as plain as day to him as she danced with a man in a sleeveless suit, the position of their hands showing that he was much too tall a partner even for her. With a simple glance, he saw Rivalz spinning nearby, his gray-blue suit blending well with the rest of the crowd as he swung across the floor in time, his eyes focused wholly on the smiling blonde despite his current position with another girl. At this sight, Lelouch let an amused, slightly pitying yet still sympathetic smirk grace his face.

_It truly is sad, _he pondered, _that I now find myself in the same position as Rivalz. I still don't know why Milly insisted on leading him on, but the way he so obviously hangs on her every word and deed stopped being pitiable and became pathetic a long time ago. _Shifting himself back to a standing position, he kept his eyes on the unintended performance below, his mind now wandering fully into the territory of his now-lost love.

_And now I know how absurd it is to hold on like this, despite a complete lack of any indication that my feelings have been reciprocated. _At this, his mouth turned upwards into a sneer. _And I also know how hard it is to let go despite that knowledge. Is it harder for me, I wonder, knowing that, in another time, another life, it is not only a legitimate possibility, but a simple fact of my existence, very nearly taken for granted?_

Since that day four years ago, Milly had begun to behave much differently towards him. It was subtle at first; a simple gesture here, a subtle touch there, nothing particularly unusual for the flirty teenager. After a few months, however, she became notably more forward around him, though Lelouch, being the romantic illiterate he was, failed to recognize the simple signs she gave as they sat together at meals, walked to class, talked in his rooms late into the night, even her eventual seemingly-snap decision to name him to the student council despite his underclassman status. This last was well masked, as Lelouch took to administrative duties like a fish to water, but as he looked back on it he both cursed and praised himself for being so utterly blind that Milly, now fifteen months of infatuation later and screaming to be heard, pinned him against a wall in the Council building after hours and forced her mouth upon his in a fiery representation of all her emotional frustration. At first, he had no clue what was going on, his mind flipping wildly from one extreme to the next, not even registering what had happened until nearly a half minute later. By that point his mouth, having not received any orders from upstairs, had taken matters into its own hands and already moved to better admit her hungering lips.

Even now, that memory burned brighter than the rest, a sobering testament to the start of what had to be the happiest period of his life. It was greater even than his time spent at the Kururugi Shrine because this, at least, had no conceivable way of ending. He and Milly were together every day. Weekends and holidays were shared with her and, on occasion, her family. Only Nunally's needs ever took precedence over the time they set aside for each other. Before long, he became able to open himself up fully, sharing with her all his hopes and dreams and fears, much as she had to him for many months by that point. Soon after that – on the night of his sixteenth birthday, no less – she gave herself to him fully, their combined affection and desire more than making up for their lack of experience.

_**And yet it did end.**_

This simple stray thought rocked through his consciousness, the images within his mind shattering to bits like so many mirrors as he was brutally yanked back to the realm of the present. His eyes welled with unshed tears, his entire being shaking as his mind crumbled, the single stray thought growing to consume his being as it reverberated through him.

_**It ended, and it's gone forever. You lost her, the memories, the time, all of it, because you were too foolish to realize the hell you unleashed in your thirst for revenge. **_The thundering continued. _**All you have now are memories of events that never occurred, memories that, if you revealed them to her, she would see as signs of a twisted insanity. She is lost to you, and there is no one at fault but yourself.**_

_How could I have known? It's impossible to conceive that I should have known that my memories, HER memories, could have been annihilated and remade. It's not my fault!_

_**You knew that her proximity to you put her in danger if any of your enemies discovered Zero's true identity, didn't you?**_

_Yes I did, how could I not? But even then-_

_**Now you're just making excuses. It happened; it was within the realm of the consequences of your actions. It's your fault, accept it.**_

Though he rebelled against the notion, Lelouch knew it was true. They may have taken her from him, but she would never have been in danger if the events in Shinjuku hadn't stirred his long-nursed grudge to right the wrongs of his past. As the tears coursed unnoticed over his face, his eyes fixated on the unaware revelers far below as the night moved on, seconds stretched out to the length of an eternity.

_But even now, knowing what this has cost me…do I regret it? Can I continue on, having accepted the burden of my past mistakes?_

He knew the answer immediately. It came to him in the words he said to Kallen what seemed an eternity ago, just before the events which drove Shirley to the brink of insanity:

"_Blood will be shed; not just that of soldiers, but that of the innocent as well. But it is because of this we must continue on; even if it means more will be lost we must prevail, so that the sacrifice, theirs and ours, shall not be in vain."_

With this he grounded himself, pulling back from the abyss of his grief and finding a firm footing on the rock of his determination. With his feelings assuaged for the moment, and his course clear, he took out his phone along with the signal scrambler and joined the two, turning away from the spectacle below as he dialed the number of his unwilling accomplice: Li Xingke.

**_

* * *

_**

He couldn't believe it, and yet he knew there was no other way to go forward.

_Nunally's to be the new Governor, an obvious move to try and restrict the Black Knights efforts, and yet I can think of no way to effectively counter it. Maybe some news C.C has to report will help me to conceive a course of action, but for now things don't look hopeful._

Lelouch, feeling more than ever like a condemned man marching towards the gallows, could only sit and think as he went through the tedious motions of the Student Council meeting. It was really just a formality, a "feedback" session where they would discuss club reports on what things did and didn't work at the festival yesterday. Such things were what they were: most on the council would view the event as perfect, and what few suggestions were made would likely be filed off and vanish into the vast records of paperwork the Council kept for such things. All in all, a frivolous venture that he highly suspected Milly of entertaining only for the sake of appearing to be responsive to the will of others.

_The most beautiful thing about her has always been her self-confidence, _he mused, taking a moment to glance at her as she wrote a suggestion down. Another negative comment on the pizza fiasco, he was sure, but he knew for a fact that they'd try the same spectacle again next time around, likely with the same result.

_Yet despite that, she's content with it. Maybe it's has to do with how she likes to make other people uncomfortable, or maybe just that she likes the result she knows it will garner, whether or not it succeeds._

Moving his attention back to the meeting to jot something down, his thoughts still churned on the subject of the blonde.

_She shrugs off other people so easily, yet she really does care about them. It's a technique refined from a life of not knowing who's really a friend, when the only person you can really trust to care about you is yourself. Yet despite all that, she still remained optimistic, still made the effort to make friends…so very unlike my reaction to similar conditions._

"Well then, if that's the last of the reports, then I think we're done here." Milly said suddenly, breaking Lelouch's train of thought. "You're all free to go, except for sleepyhead here" At this, she pointed to Lelouch, turning casually to meet his now open eyes. She smiled widely as her eyes narrowed playfully. "You and I have some things to discuss, since you want to sleep during meetings and not contribute. Everyone else," turning to them and waving goodbye "I'll see back here tomorrow!"

As they all filed out, eventually leaving just her and him sitting at the table, her mouth turned into a concerned frown. Lelouch simply looked at her, quirking an eyebrow at her as he asked "So, what is this really about, since I've slept in meetings from the day you got me on the council and it has yet to stop me from doing what I'm assigned to do?"

She simply looked into his eyes for a time, the gesture sending a slight shock down Lelouch's spine as he recalled the times that never were, when he and she would spend hours simply staring at each other, the direction and intent behind their eyes speaking in silent communication as they just reveled in the presence and comforting warmth of each other. When he finally looked away, unable to stand meeting that gaze headlong for another instant, she finally spoke.

"You haven't been yourself lately, is all." She began; eyes turning away as she gently brought a hand up onto the table. "Rolo has been acting a bit off too, but you seem much worse. Talking with you almost seems like talking to a stranger walking around in your skin, if that makes any sense." At this, she put her hand on his, the contact immediately causing him to pull back in shock. She continued, "Like that, that's what I'm talking about. I know you don't like to be physical with people, no matter how close they are, but even still that reaction is extreme. So talk to me, what's happened that has you so distant?"

Lelouch was both emotionally and mentally dazed. _How can I possibly explain it, when she won't even know what I'm talking about? She has no reference point to work from, none of our memories are the same, all of hers are locked deep down in her subconscious…wait! That could be it!_

With that last thought, he turned to her and spoke, his voice low, yet firm as his hand went up to his left eye, removing the contact lens there. "Milly, look into my eyes, I need to say something."

Her eyes moved up to his, immediately fixing on the strange, pink symbol floating over the iris of his left eye. "Lelouch," she started, eyes widening in confusion, "what's going on, what is that thing? What are you-"

"Remember me!" he commanded, his Geass activating as he saw the rim of Milly's eyes turn pink. Once done, he could only sit and wait, holding his breath as she stared blindly into space, the Geass beginning to take effect.

_I am sorry, but it's the only way I know to bring you back to me. _His mind worked soberly in those few seconds, afraid to even hope._ I would never force you in such a manner under any other circumstance, but you have been forced already, so I simply have to apply an equal force, and-_

"…Lelouch?"

He pulled away from his reasoning, focusing all his attention on Milly as he replaced the contact lens through simple force of habit. His arms moved to her shoulders as her body slumped, her head dipping for a moment before she regained conscious control of herself.

"Yes, President? What is it?"

"…what are you talking about? I remember seeing something in your eye and you saying to 'remember'. And then it all gets fuzzy…remember what?"

Cursing inwardly, Lelouch's expression became one of concern, his words and actions coming forth on their own as his mind worked frantically behind his eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about Milly, you told me to stay after the meeting, and just before you said anything to me you passed out on the table. I've been trying to wake you for a few minutes now, are you alright?"

_Why didn't it work? Was the command simply too vague to take root? No, it had to because I could tell she was under its influence. Perhaps it just couldn't dig deep enough to uncover her forgotten memories. Yet another thing I'll have to ask C.C about, for now I just need to throw off any suspicions she might have and get out of here._

Her eyes fluttered for a moment, looking down to her hands as she responded. "Yeah…I was going to ask you if everything was alright in your personal life, since you've been acting so odd lately, but I guess it must just be the fatigue of recent events that's getting to all of us. It's so weird, I didn't even feel tired before, but now I hardly think I have the strength to get up from this chair."

"Here, let me help you." He offered, taking an arm and bringing it up over his shoulder, kneeling down to bring his arm to her waist, standing with her and letting her lean into him. "You can just rest in my room here for now, and then you can head back home, alright?"

"Sounds fine," Milly murmured, gently shifting her weight back to her own feet as she felt strength returning to her. By the time they reached the door, she was walking completely on her own, Lelouch removing his arm from her waist, gasping silently at the loss of her soft warmth.

"It's right down the hall, third door on the left." He indicated, moving now at a slow pace to be sure she kept up. "There's a bed and a sink in there, so you should be able to rest and clean up before you go."

"Why Lelouch," Milly said, smiling weakly. "If I didn't know better, I would almost say that you had done this before. Perhaps I'm not the first girl you've had spending time in your quarters, hmm?"

_The first, and the only_ he replied mentally, reaching the door and opening it for her with a certain amount of flourish. This made her giggle as she walked through the doorway, seating herself on the edge of the bed, facing him.

_And I still remember how you loved to see me act the noble gentleman, despite my hatred for the whole concept._ "Comfortable?"

"Very, thank you." She responded, unbuttoning her jacket and laying back onto the soft mattress. "I just hope I'm not inconveniencing you?"

"Of course not," he replied hastily, moving now into the doorway. "I was actually going to head to the library and do a bit of studying; will you be alright here by yourself?"

"Lelouch, I'm a big girl." She said, grinning. "I think I'll be able to manage. If I need anything, Rolo will be around soon anyway, I'm sure." With this, she slid up the bed and rested her head on the pillows. "Have fun 'studying', but next time try to think of a less absurd alibi for your little trips with Rivalz."

Chuckling, Lelouch turned away, calling over his shoulder. "I'll work on it, Madame President."

**_

* * *

_**

Lelouch strode purposefully into the library, quickly making his way up the stairs and back into the vast shelves. All the while his mind whirled like a hurricane, the myriad of issues confronting him reaching closer and closer to the boiling point as his feet carried him to his destination. Within minutes, he found himself at the back end of the library, standing before the bookshelf placed against the building's interior wall. Wasting no time he thumbed down to the fifth shelf from the bottom, moving across to the eighth section from the right, where he paused on a thick, leather bound book, _The Oral History of Britannia: Britannia's Purpose from the Mouths of her Emperors and Public Dignitaries._ A dry read, as he recalled, mostly glorifying the Empire's marked history of conquest and discrimination. However, he didn't stop at this book for its literary appeal.

Pulling the book out from the shelf, he flipped the book onto its spine and pushed it back into place. In a few moments, he heard the rumbling of the elevator as the bookshelf shifted to allow him to slide by, moving into the elevator and standing against the back wall as the door slid back into place and the elevator lurched, beginning its otherwise smooth descent.

Mentally preparing himself, he stepped from the elevator and made his way into the surveillance room, quickly barking out orders to those few who were sitting at the monitors, making sure they left and that he wouldn't be disturbed, and took a seat at the large central table. Settling in, he placed his trademark chess set onto the table and, as befitted his situation, arrayed the white army opposite him to reflect current Britannian military and political maneuvers, and set the black army aside, opting to simply hold the black king in his left hand. This accomplished, he pressed a button on the small console on the side of the table, opening the communication from the Chinese Consulate and bringing a video image of C.C up onto the large screen set into the wall opposite him.

"Took you long enough." She quipped, moving her arm to grab the Cheese-kun plush at her side and hold it against her.

"Unforeseen circumstances kept me occupied longer than expected" he retorted, resting his head against his right hand, the left bringing up the black king and setting him in proper position on the board. "What do you have to report?"

"Nothing unusual, the Black Knights are settling in as best could be expected. Xingke is getting a bit restless, but with Gao Hai dead he's content to let us stay for the moment. You know he doesn't much care for you or your personal agenda."

"I could care less what he thinks." Lelouch responded absentmindedly, his hand coming up to grab the black king, holding it in his fingers as he gently tapped it against the board, all his thoughts focusing on the obvious yet unspoken dilemma.

"The supplies were successfully received in Nigata."

"I see."

"However, we have no means of getting them into the Consulate."

"As expected."

Tilting her head at his attitude, she decided it would be best to just throw the statement out there. "Nunally is going to be the new Governor. Will you be able to fight against her?"

At this, Lelouch pause his fidgeting and glared at the screen. "Fight Nunally? Is that supposed to be a joke?"

"Then you will cease the Black Knight's movements in order to avoid conflict?"

"Completely unacceptable, we have too much at stake to stop now."

"It's obvious they intend to use her as a puppet. Why else would a blind and crippled young girl be appointed to such a sensitive position?"

This only fed Lelouch's anger. "I became Zero to prevent that from happening!" he barked, his hand coming down hard and slamming the king piece onto its square. "I will destroy Britannia for what it did to her, for what it did to us!"

"Calm down, boy. I am well aware your sister is your main reason for living. Though," at this, she moved her eyes from him, "I suppose the loss of your fair lady hasn't much aided the transition to this new reality…"

This got Lelouch's attention. "What did you say?" He asked, anger forgotten in his confusion.

"The Ashford girl," C.C replied casually, setting the plushie down as she turned to face him fully. "Did you honestly think you kept that secret well-guarded? There is a big difference in the deductive skills of your average high school girl and myself, after all." She shrugged, "not that it matters to me, honestly. Where you decide to sheathe your sword isn't my real concern."

"What is then, pray tell?"

"The fact that you are so obviously out of sorts about it, and that coupled with the issue of Nunally is going to break you emotionally. You will be utterly unable to perform your duties as Zero."

"And that, boy, does not bode well for our contract."

"On that note, I have a question regarding our dear Emperor." Lelouch carried on, dodging C.C's statement." If his power is to manipulate memories, such as he did to me, then couldn't I use my own Geass to counter the effects? Simply command a person to remember?"

At this, much to Lelouch's surprise, the witch snickered. "I assume you only ask because you tried this on her?" Taking his silence as an assent, she continued. "His power is much more complex than that. He doesn't simply manipulate memories; he overwrites them. The thoughts he decides to alter can't simply be dredged up, they are pressed far into the subconscious. For your Geass to work, the subject would have to have significant doubts regarding their memories, conscious or unconscious."

"In short, they can't be commanded to remember because they don't recognize they've forgotten?"

"Crude, but correct. The Geass may trigger and take hold, but the nature of his Geass is such that unless you issued the command on a susceptible mind, it would work to negate the effect."

"Then what about me?"

"Boy, the power that binds our contract is of the same kind that _gave_ Charles his Geass. It's a link that can be severed only one way: the completion of the contract. Because of that, all I had to do was make physical contact, such as kissing you, and the latent memories rose to the surface along with your power. In fact," at this, she stretched lazily, continuing, "Charles was betting on me recognizing that fact when he altered your memories. He felt my desire to see the contract fulfilled would draw me out, so that he might capture me."

"Yes, yes, we're both familiar with the circumstances of my survival," Lelouch drawled, waving his left hand in a dismissive manner. "So how could I circumvent the effects of his Geass?"

"You can't, unless you found a way to remove it completely."

"Dammit." Lelouch growled, gritting his teeth once more. "Tell me what you can of V.V, and then we need to discuss how to best mobilize the Black Knights."

"What for, if I may ask?"

Smirking, Lelouch moved one of white's rooks forward, casually taking a black knight and putting it in striking distance of the piece. "Why, to rescue Nunally, of course."

* * *

**A/N**: Hope that's enough to sate you, things get even more angsty next chapter!


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